Crookham X roads
January 25 1942

Dear Leona and all:-

Well how is everybody at your house these days I suppose there is lots of snow and cold weather in Sarnia now. It is nice here to-day but rained last night pretty hard. I suppose John is still working at the foundry as usual eh, it must be nice to know what your going to do ahead of you. I guess I shouldn’t complain just after a weeks holiday. Well I finally got my landing leave, started last Friday and end this Friday. We got free train fare so that helped a lot, I just had three pounds that’s about thirteen dollars, it took most of that for meals and bed and shows and that sort of thing. My pal and I went up to Inverness I thought I would look up Helen’s people but I spent two days without any luck so we came back to Glasgow for the rest of our time. Most of the Canadian boys go to Scotland on leave and I don’t blame them because its really a nice country. The people use you good and sure like to see Canada on your shoulder. Glasgow is a nice place, lots of people and they are all neat and well dressed too. There was a big snow storm and held the trains up for awhile and we were six hours late getting back to camp, we thought we would get hell for that, but it was just on impossible.

We went to London on the train and had to change to go to Glasgow so we went from one station to another on the underground tram boy its sure a wonderful thing. I have really seen some sights such as bombings and that. London is quite a mess in places and other cities on the way. Glasgow wasn’t hit much of what I could see. There hasn’t been any since I came over at least I havent seen or heard of any but that don’t say it won’t come, will it? I sure would like to get it over with and get back to Canada again and get some real good meals under my belt. Sausage and beans are about all I can buy and you know how one feels on one kind of thing. I had an egg for breakfast the other day the first since I left home, last night was kind of dead, no radio or funny papers to look at. Oh well I guess I can stand it for awhile I don’t mind it as long as I know I have some body to protect and I sure have. I havent any word from Donna yet but expect some soon but I don’t give up because I think she will still love me and wait for the day when I come home, that will be the day eh sis.  I think a lot of people think that I will be a wild brute over here but I don’t know what or who with. Where I am is mostly all military zone and to have fun you got to have a week end to get away and they come once a month. Some fellows think its fun to run all over but my days are gone I guess, sure is lots of trouble for the boys over here, so you see Leona its not worth the chance, and any way its not what I promised Donna. If I did any thing like that one couldn’t blame her if she did and if she did I dont think I’d come back, what would be the use.

Well I suppose you think I’m a wild talking brother but its just what I think. Its sure is a hard job writing without an letter to answer but I hope you don’t mind I suppose you wonder why I send you a blue envelope but I really haven’t any pink ones, if you know what I mean, well I sure hope it’s what you want because its sure is something to wait for eh.

Well Leona I really haven’t much to say any more then that I had a good holiday and saw a lot of country and sites and am feeling pretty fair out side of a cold which I guess I will always have, so I guess I better close and hope this finds you soon and all in good health and spirits as thats the stuff that counts.

Yours truly
from your brother
Dawson.
XXXXx

Good luck Leona and God be with you all.

Keep smiling hoping to hear from you soon.